World News
Second group of nuns backs bishops' position on health care reform
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WASHINGTON (CNS) -- A coalition of U.S. women religious representing more than 100 communities said March 17 that the position on health care reform and abortion articulated by the U.S. bishops is "the authentic teaching of the Catholic Church" and should be followed. The statement by Mercy Mother Mary Quentin Sheridan, president of the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious, came a day after the leaders of more than four dozen U.S. congregations of women religious urged members of Congress to "cast a life-affirming 'yes' vote" on the Senate's version of health reform legislation. "Despite false claims to the contrary, the Senate bill will not provide taxpayer funding for elective abortions," they said in a letter delivered to all members of Congress March 17. "It will uphold long-standing conscience protections and it will make historic new investments -- $250 million -- in support of pregnant women." Mother Mary Quentin noted that Cardinal Francis E. George of Chicago, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, has opposed the Senate version of health care legislation "because of its expansion of abortion funding and its lack of adequate provision for conscience protection. Protection of life and freedom of conscience are central to morally responsible judgment," she said. "We join the bishops in seeking ethically sound legislation." The Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious represents 103 communities. It was formed in 1992 by Vatican decree in response to a request from a group of women superiors belonging mainly to communities that are not part of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, whose president was among the signers of the letter urging passage of the Senate health reform bill. The letter urging passage claimed its signers represented 59,000 women religious, roughly the total number in the United States. But the major superiors' council represents more than 10,000 nuns, and LCWR, founded in 1956, says on its Web site that it represents about 90 percent of the nation's nuns.
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